


Aftermath

by bornindundee



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Depressed Peter Parker, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Tony Stark, Infinity Stone Soul World (Marvel), Infinity Stones, Kidnapped Peter Parker, Peter Parker Is And Idiot, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), endgame spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-08 19:31:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18629824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bornindundee/pseuds/bornindundee
Summary: ENDGAME SPOILERSI wouldn't even read the summary if I were you.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Five weeks have passed since the defeat of Thanos and his army, and slowly the world is rebuilding itself. For Peter Parker, however, it is another story.Plagued with guilt over his mentor's death, Peter finds himself in a deep depression. So, when he is approached by a foreigner from a far away planet and informed of a way to bring Tony Stark back, he can't refuse. Even at the risk of losing his own life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to HailstormDeath for beta-ing this fic. 
> 
> Check out their Tumblr at hailstormdeath.tumblr.com

It was five weeks ago that Avengers had fought valiantly to bring back to Vanished. It was five weeks ago that Peter Parker had woken on the alien planet Titan and learnt that five years had passed. It was five weeks ago that Tony Stark had died.

Though governments were still in shambles and many people still displaced, for Peter Parker life should have returned to normal. None of his close family or friends had aged five years ahead of him. The Education Board was working hard to integrate those affected by 'the Vanishing' back into school. And, there shouldn't be a reason why he couldn't return to his work as Spiderman. Yet, a deep pit in his stomach reminded Peter that things would never truly be the same.

This pit had been a part of Peter since he was old enough to understand what had happened to his parents. It had shrunken over time but never quite filled. Then, after Uncle Ben's death, it was as if someone had come along with a large shovel and removed everything that time had carefully filled. Peter, as always, had pushed through it. His logically inclined brain knew it was part of the long and painful mourning process. That information didn't comfort him though. And once again, here he was with someone shovelling out his stomach. 

Tony Stark had died, and Peter hadn't even tried to do something. In the back of his mind, Peter knew that he couldn't have done anything. He knew that the power of wielding a single Infinity Stone - let alone all of them - was not a feat that a human could accomplish without tearing themselves apart. He knew that the power of the gems had sucked the life out of Tony Stark. Peter knew that no one could have done anything to save the man who had become Iron Man.

But, as aforementioned, those thoughts were at the back of his mind.

At the front, in true Peter fashion, the teenager blamed himself.

Peter had concluded that he must be cursed. Almost everyone he had come to see as family were dead now because of him. His parents who hadn't even made it to their holiday destination - Peter later found out that they were travelling to get a break from their temperamental toddler. Uncle Ben who had been shot by a man that Peter could have caught so easily earlier in the day. And now, Mr Stark was gone too. Peter wondered if the universe was going to take away Aunt May as well.

As the train pulled into his stop, Peter exited the warmth of the carriage into the chill of the overcast day. During the fifteen minute walk, it took from the station to his apartment a slight drizzle started. It wasn't heavy enough to warrant an umbrella, but it didn't stop the weather from even further dampening his mood.

Peter had thought by this point that loss shouldn't affect him as much as what it was now. He had lost so much after all. However, this grief, this guilt felt so much worse than when Uncle Ben had died. It was scary to thing to admit, Peter didn't deny that. It wasn't as if he didn't still grieve for Uncle Ben - Peter doubted he would ever be relieved of that guilt. But this was so much more.

Peter hadn't just taken away an uncle and husband. Due to whatever curse followed him around, he had caused the death of a father, husband, friend. He had been the one responsible for the death of Iron Man.

May had told him that it wasn't, and somewhere in his mind, he knew that to be true. Peter knew his thoughts were illogical, but in some twisted way, it still made sense. If it wasn't his fault, then whose was it? Mr Stark had put so much time and energy into Peter, yet, when it came down to the crunch of things Peter hadn't even tried to repay it. He had stood there as his mentor - as the closest thing he would ever have to a father - had died.

Peter was almost home when his Spider-Sense tingled ever so slightly. He acknowledged the warning but did nothing about it. He couldn't bring himself to care in all honesty.

After all, it would be a just punishment if someone came and killed him.

~O~ 

It was with practised ease that Molke made his way through the human city undetected. 

For weeks Molke had been preparing this plan. He had given up so much that he could not dare fail at the most crucial point. Should the protectors of this planet discover his plan, Molke would never reach his goal. He needed to resurrect the Man of Iron and defeat him. He would prove once and for all that he alone was worthy of ruling his people. After all, if he won against a man that not even Thanos could knock down, who would be to say otherwise.

He was so close now. All he needed was the boy.

Even from the few hundred metres away that he was, Molke could still easily see Peter. Excitement pricked through the alien's veins when he confirmed the boy's aura was shining a dull green - the colour of guilt. It was perfect.

Molke doubted with his current mindset that the boy would refuse his request. And if he did, there were other ways to make him submit. A slim part of Molke hoped that boy didn’t agree to his request. It was always more interesting when his captives fought against him.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the boy exited the safety of the metal train that Molke had been following. Peter continued to walk with his head down, the green that trailed behind him becoming duller with each step. Silently, Molke followed from the rooftops.

For a fraction of a moment, the boy stopped, something in his body sending out spits of warning red. To the untrained eye, it would never be noticed. Molke's eyes were trained. Panic gripped his heart turning Molke's own aura yellow with anxiety. Had he heard him? It would be impossible, he hadn't made a sound. Just as quickly as he stopped though, Peter continued. His aura turning a dark grey - the colour of deep and inescapable sadness.

With the boy's sudden mood change seeming to encourage his plan, Molke jumped for the boy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a lot harder to write than I initially thought - I have almost twenty drafts at this point - so I'm sorry for the delay. I hope this chapter was worth the wait.

_"Mr Stark? Hey. Mr Stark, can you hear me?_

_It's Peter._

_Hey. We won, Mr Stark. We won._

_Mr Stark. Come one, you did it, Sir. You did it._

_…_

_I'm sorry Tony…"_

~O~

When Peter woke, he could still feel the surprising gentle touch of Pepper Potts on his shoulder. Even though the phantom had become a regular part of his waking routine, he still had to hold back sobs. When he was still half asleep, Peter was on that battlefield doing nothing but standing back as his mentor took his last breaths.

When the initial confusion of Thanos' men turning to ash bled into relief, Peter began an immediate search for Tony Stark. First, he saw War Machine. Then, Peter saw Stark.

Tony's skin had been pale with a horrific scar travelling up the right side of his face. As Peter got closer to his mentor, he could hear the strained breathing and uneven heartbeat. His efforts were in vain when Peter had tried to gather a reaction from the dying man. He only found a blank, unknowing expression. At that point, Peter Parker knew that Tony Stark would die - and it was all his fault.

If he had been stronger back on Titan and gotten the Gauntlet quicker than none of this would have happened. They could have destroyed the gems and gone home. But they didn't. He hadn't been strong enough to make sure the Infinity Stones had stayed away from Thanos during their most recent battle. Peter should have remained with the crazy strong glowing lady and helped her get the gems to that van. But he hadn't. Peter hadn't been strong enough.

And Mr Stark was dead because of it.

When Peter came to a cold steel wall met him. He sat up too quickly, the teenager realised when a flush of dizziness threated to send him back into unconsciousness. With slow movements, he stood himself up and examined the small room. Three of the four sides shared the metal view he had woken to. The fourth comprised a transparent, yellow tinted field with similar coloured bars running lengthways every twenty centimetres.

Confusion was Peter's first reaction. Where was he? Had some criminal caught him? Was a mad scientist looking to experiment on him? Though they were all possible, something in his gut told Peter that he wasn't right. It left the boy with a small electric shock when he pushed a finger against the field in front of him. He wasn't getting out that way it seems.

"Hello?" Peter called. "Can anybody hear me?"

As expected, there was no response. Peter stared at the yellow screen contemplating how he would get out of the cell. He needed to do it quick. How long had he even been here? May must be worried sick.

The first step was to test how strong the surrounding walls were. Peter tapped the metal to determine the material. Though the touch was light, the ring was loud and hollow. Peter's brow creased as he ran his hand across the wall feeling a slight magnetic force. It was like a less dense version of vibranium. Perhaps it was a variant of the material from another planet. A few months ago that would seem impossible, but with the eye-opening experience of space travel, anything could happen. Maybe a strong kick would knock the wall down.

That experience would teach Peter not to attack unknown materials. One second his foot was on the wall, the next a blast of energy sent him to the ground. Bile threatened to climb his throat and the silver ceiling blurred. Atop of a likely concussion, Peter's ankle also hurt from the insane force it had absorbed and his arm stung from where it had grazed the electrified yellow wall. The ringing that followed - whether it was from the wall or Peter's ear - threatened to burst his eardrums.

Peter felt ashamed as he lay on the ground. He had gotten himself captured without even putting up a fight and was useless to escape. For a moment, he wondered what Mr Stark would think of him right now. Disappointed probably. Peter had been great at letting Stark down when he was alive. It hadn't changed after his death either.

Even the spider sense was annoyed at him. Over the past few weeks, Peter noticed a decrease in the effectiveness of his spider-sense along with his mood. The same thing had happened when Uncle Ben had died. He had concluded his mood influenced his powers, yet it still felt like a punishment for not being strong enough to save Mr Stark.

Peter was useless, he realised, as black closed in from the sides.

~O~

May Parker well knew that she worried too much. She knew that Peter could look after himself, and she knew that the boy was smart enough to avoid becoming to hurt. Yet, as she held Peter's suit in her hand and stared out into the darkening street, fear climbed her body.

When she had first arrived home, May had expected to be met by Peter as she usually was every Friday. The two would order some food, watch a movie, and have a relaxing night together. It was a custom that the two decided on after May had realised that Peter was Spiderman. Though relucent, she had let the boy carry on with his work after he agreed to a few conditions. At least one night a week the boy must take a night off - he would run himself into the ground otherwise. May must have access to the tracker Stark had put in his phone, and he was to tell her if he had even a scratch on him. Peter hadn't liked with the rules at first but agreed for fear of May banning him from his hero work.

May had thought Peter must have gone a patrol - May made a note to yell at him about that - and went to find where he was by checking his location. When the special app on her phone told her that Peter's tracker was offline, a mixture of anger and fear seized May. The boy wasn't silly enough to turn his tracker off, was he?

She ran to his room hoping that he was in there tinkering with whatever he had found on his way home from school. His room was empty. With the growing feeling that something had happened, she threw open the cupboard and found Peter's suit hanging in the wardrobe - just as he always did on Friday's. Peter wasn't on patrol, his tracker was off, and he hadn't even texted her to inform her of any plans.

Over the next thirty minutes, May would call Ned, MJ, and Mr Delmer. Each one of them had said that they saw Peter take his normal route home. She called Peter's phone several times - all of which went to voice mail. She followed Peter's route to the train station - the last place Ned had seen him - with her car. The whole way, the dark streets showed no sign of Peter.

After returning to the apartment block, she ran up the stairs and to her room. With desperation following her step, she dug through the dishes cupboard and pulled out a small wooden box. Inside was a phone she was only to use in emergencies - and she hoped that this counted.

Putting the device up to her ear, May waited for someone to pick up.


End file.
